PositiveThe New York Times Book Review\"...[an] engaging and subtle third novel ... While Bear’s genius does not seem to be in doubt, we are given a rather one-note, not to say gimmicky, impression of his work ... Yet Rachman appears in perfect control of his material. This is not an aesthetic treatise but, first and foremost, a morality tale about fame and family ... Pinch’s middle years, and the middle of the book, are meandering and seemingly plotless, filled with sadness, disappointment and tenuously formed and lost connections. Yet the quiet story remains engrossing, by turns gently humorous and pathetic, mundane and poignant ... There are no black-and-white answers in life and art, not even in our present age of increasing personal responsibility. The Italian Teacher is a psychologically nuanced pleasure.\
Simon Sebag Montefiore
PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewComing from the notable historian of Stalin, such aphorisms carry much weight. One may wish for more of them, as well as more overall context, more grounding of the events in the general cultural and economic climate, which is touched upon infrequently and briefly. But, perhaps inevitably in a study so concentrated, Montefiore’s approach favors facts over analysis and atmosphere. The facts themselves, many of them results of original research, are fascinating enough to speak for themselves, although there are occasional dry patches...Overall, while not the easiest introduction to the subject, this monumental work is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in Russian history and the doomed dynasty of Romanovs...
